Thou Shalt Not Kill
by Solus Tal'echoy
Summary: In which Truth is really mean: "Your return ticket, of course," Truth favored him with a toothy grin, "You want to get home? Fix the flow. Rectify the error. Remove the anomaly." UP FOR ADOPTION.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: **And here it is, my second HPxFMA crossover. I'm not sure why I'm starting it now when I still haven't finished my other one, but I wanted to get the idea out before I forgot. Some helpful notes:_

_This will coincide with book three.  
>If you haven't finished the manga and you dislike spoilers, you should probably leave now.<br>Ed might be a little OOC, I'm not sure, if he is my excuse is that he's older and more mature at this point._

* * *

><p>Ed breathed in the scents of the Royal Gardens. He had never been to Xing before now, and was glad he had taken Alphonse's advice. Ling certainly had it good here. He'd have to come back in a few years and bring Maes and Trisha along, and Winry of course.<p>

"Ed! Long time no see!"

Ed turned around and grinned when he saw Ling. "Ling! Or should I call you 'Your Highness' or 'Your Majesty' instead?"

"You know, protocol is to bow when the Emperor addresses you," said Ling, still grinning like a loon.

"Ah, you know me, I never follow the rules. Besides, where's your official royal outfit? I bet your councilors would throw a fit if they saw their ruler dressed like 'the common rabble.'" It was true, Ling was dressed quite similarly to when they had first met, though the pants were black instead of white, and instead of his usual slippers... "Ling, are you actually wearing boots?"

He was, in fact, wearing black leather boots, almost identical to the ones Amestrian officers wore. "Apparently so, they're actually quite roomy. I think Greed left behind a liking for them." He pointed at his foot. "I never realized how pinchy those little slippers were. Look, I can actually wiggle my toes in these things!"

"...I can't see your toes, idiot prince."

"Hey! That's idiot _emperor_ to you. And I _can_ wiggle them, and it feels glorious. So how have you been? Al said you finally got married."

"Yep, two kids, too. Trisha is two and Maes is almost four." He pulled a picture out of his breast pocket. _'Holy shit, I'm turning into Hughes_,' he thought.

Ling peered at the picture. "He looks just like you, how cute!" He looked at Ed again. "Speaking of which, you haven't changed at all. Literally, you still look sixteen, aren't you twenty-two?"

"Of course I'm twenty-two- wait a sec'," he took another look at Ling, "You still look sixteen too, what gives?"

It was that point that everything went white, and Ed heard an all too familiar voice. "Bet you weren't expecting to see me again, were you?"

"What do you want, Truth, I already destroyed my Gate. I don't have anything to do with you anymore," said Ed.

"Getting right to the point, I see. Good, because that Gate is what I'm here to talk about. Just so we're clear, I actually liked your idea of deconstructing your Gate in return for your brother. I think it showed wisdom too many Alchemists lack. However..."

"However, what? Get to the point."

"The deconstruction of a Gate is something that's not meant to happen, and it's caused... abnormalities."

"You're still not telling me why I should have anything to do with this."

"There are two dimensions, like two sides of an equation. The anomaly here has caused an anomaly on the other side. Someone survived who should have died, and it's wreaking havoc with the balance of life. In short, I have to reconstruct your Gate, and I can't do it for free, is that to the point enough?"

Ed thoughts immediately went to his brother. "No... Al... you're not going to..."

"Relax, I'm not taking your brother. Like I said, I liked your exchange, I thought it was clever. No, for the reconstruction of the Gate," Truth paused and appeared to be mentally calculating, "You and your friend cross to the other side."

"What! Hell no! I can't just leave my family!" He actually had a family to return to now, he wasn't going to do what Hohenheim did, dammit! His children were _not_ going to grow up without a father, not like he and Al had.

"Oh, don't worry, you'll be able to get back. Now," Truth snapped his fingers and Ed felt all feeling leave his right arm. He looked down to see that it had been replaced by automail again, "Your arm for a helpful starting point."

"What the hell! A starting point to what!"

"Your return ticket, of course." Truth favored him with a toothy grin. "You want to get home? Fix the flow. Rectify the error. Remove the anomaly. _Kill Harry Potter_."

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: **MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Am I evil or what? I know this was a little short, but the other chapters will all be longer. I just wanted end on this particular note, since it's all dramatic and stuff. Will Ed be able to do it? I honestly don't know._

_And yes, I know that Harry lived because of Lily's "power of love" spell, I'm just choosing to bend that for the sake of the plot. 'Cause let's face it, this is a fanfiction here. Also, I have an explanation for why Ed and Ling still look like teenagers despite being in their twenties. I promise you, I do have an explanation, I just haven't said it yet._


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N: _**_I know I should be working on the next chapter of "Harry Potter and the Explosive Solution," and I am, I swear. The problem is, HPxFMA crossovers tend to have 2 parts: first there's the "let's throw these characters into piranha-infested waters and watch them flail about" and then there's the *gasps* actual plot! But fear not! I won't abandon a fanfic when the title amuses me so much._

_Oh, and Amestrian is a different language, so Ed's syntax might be a little funky when he's speaking English. _

_I totally own both Fullmetal Alchemist and Harry Potter  
>*FBI kicks down the door*<br>I WAS BEING SARCASTIC DAMMIT_

* * *

><p>Somewhere in Hogwarts two names are added to the vast book of wizarding children. <em>Ling Yao, 15, <em>and _Edward Elric, 15. _Both names had a note next to them: _To be placed in 3rd year._

* * *

><p>Edward found himself lying facedown on an unfamiliar floor. "Bastard Truth couldn't have been more gentle?" he grumbled. He looked up at Ling, who was standing in a perfectly stable position. "Of course you would land on your feet, how could I think any different?"<p>

"Well, I don't know, how _could_ you think any different? By the way, would you like to get up? That floor doesn't look very comfortable."

"How the hell are you so calm?" said Ed incredulously. "You weren't this cheerful when we got eaten by Gluttony!"

"Yes, but at least this time we have a feasible possibility for a way out, even if it's not exactly an appealing one."

That brought Ed back to reality. _That asshole, what kind of choice was that? If I don't kill this Harry Potter, I'll never see my family again, I can never hug my kids, or see them grow up. But... if I do kill this guy... no, I'd never be able to face anyone back home. I'd never be able to look Winry in the eye. _"Dammit." He shoved his hands in his pockets for no particular reason and felt a piece of paper that hadn't been there before. He pulled it out.

_Your arm bought you a few favors from me . The first one is this note, explaining the other favors. Second, a few strings have been pulled to put you and your friend in the same school as Potter. They all think you're fifteen, so try not to correct them. And third, your money's been exchanged. The gold coins are galleons, silver for sickles, and bronze for knuts. Twenty-four knuts to a sickle, seventeen sickles to a galleon.  
>Now get going, things don't just fix themselves you know.<em>

Ed snarled and shoved the note at Ling for him to read, he didn't think he could speak right now without yelling the roof off of... where were they anyway? He looked around. Bed, dresser, a small desk, it looked like a room one might find and a small inn.

"So exactly how much money did you get? I wasn't exactly carrying any cash in my own palace."

Ed took a few deep breaths to calm himself before answering. "I was actually carrying a fair amount. Military pensions are good for something, I guess." He reached back into his pocket and found his wallet had been replaced by a coinpurse. He poured the contents onto the desk. Thirty-two galleons, five sickles, and seven knuts. "We won't starve, I can tell that much."

As if on cue, he heard a very loud growling stomach behind him. "That was the wrong thing to say, wasn't it?"

Ling was peering up and down the corridor outside the door. "It looks like an inn, and if so there must be food downstairs!"

"Hey, wait up! Don't eat through all our money in one night!" He grabbed the coins and hurried after Ling, who was already halfway down the stairs.

There was a little old man behind the bar who smiled at them. "Hello boys! I don't remember seeing you last night, just apparated in? What can I get you?"

Wait, was he speaking Xerxesian? Sure, Ed understood it, but how many other people around here spoke a dead language? And what on earth did he mean by 'apparated'?

Ling had immediately started listing various foods, also in Xerxesian. and Ed covered his mouth with his right hand, before replying, "Ignore him, just needing date and location, please."

The barman didn't answer, and was instead staring wide-eyed. Ed followed his gaze to his, crap that wasn't good, uncovered metal hand. He immediately pulled it back and shoved it in his pocket. He had gotten used to having two flesh arms and hadn't worn gloves for years. "Shit, I don't want to show this off, do you have set of spare gloves I can borrow?"

"Uh, sure, probably a good idea." He rummaged through a cupboard and handed Ed a pair of worn leather gloves. "Anything else I can get you?"

"Date and where we are," Ed glanced at Ling, who was still rattling off foods as if nothing had happened, "Also five bowls of stew."

"One galleon, three sickles. The date is August 25, and you're at the Leaky Cauldron, in London."

London? Ed handed him a galleon and six sickles. "Thanks for gloves, could I see where we are on map?"

"Certainly, I'll right back with your stew and a map." The man disappeared into a back room.

Ed turned to Ling, switching back to Amestrian, "Alright, start talking, how do you know Xerxesian?"

"I was tutored in it, of course. It's tradition for members of the royal family to be fluent in Xerxesian, in honor of the Western Sage. How did you learn it?"

"My mom taught me. I guess dad taught her, before he ran off."

The barman came back with a tray full of stew and a map. "Here you are, five bowls of stew and a map." He unfolded it and pointed to a island. "This is where we are, London, England."

He peered at the map while Lin gobbled stew next to him. They really were in a different dimension, he didn't recognize any of the counties on this map.

"If you don't mind me asking, where are you from? I don't recognize your accent."

Ed randomly chose a tiny country and city far away from England. "Israel," he said, pointing, "Tel Aviv."

"Really? You don't look Israeli."

"Uh, my parents moved there when I was small."

"Ah, that explains it," the man said, nodding. "I'm Tom, by the way, and you are?"

"Edward," he said. He jutted a thumb at Ling, who was sitting cheerfully with five empty bowls in front of him, "Ling."

There was a tapping noise, and Tom hurried over. Ed turned around and saw that outside the window perched, of all things, two owls, who obviously wanted in. Tom opened the window and retrieved what looked to be letters from them. "Your last names wouldn't happen to be Elric and Yao, would they?" Tom asked.

"They would." Ed and Ling took the letters and opened them.

_Dear Mr. Elric  
><em>_  
>We are pleased to inform that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft Wizardry. Due to your age and late identification, you shall be placed in third year. If you are in need of funds, present this letter at Gringotts and you will be provided with financial aid.<br>Term starts on September 1st, we await your owl no later than August 30th._

_Minerva McGonogall, Deputy Headmistress_

"Witchcraft and wizardry? They're shitting us, right?" said Ed, incredulously. "No such thing as magic!"

Tom looked slightly confused. "If you're not wizards, how did you get here?"

Ed and Ling looked at each other. Not wanting to go into the situation with Truth and the Gate, they opted for the easier explanation. "Not really sure," they replied simultaneously.

Tom sighed and pulled out some kind of carved wooden stick and pointed it at one of the empty bowls. The bowl grew legs and started to tapdance across the table. Ed and Ling's jaws both hit the floor. "You two must have been identified late or something. Never thought I'd be the one giving this speech to someone, but magic exists and it's damn useful. And those letters mean that you got magic too."

Ling switched to Amestrian, "Ed, it's a different dimension, mabe the laws of physics are different? Or maybe it's another form of alchemy? Or both?"

"Gah, I don't know. You think this is the school Potter goes to?"

Ling was reading through the school supply list. "Probably. Truth obviously set this up, it's way too convenient otherwise." He held up the list to Tom. "Do you know where we can get all this stuff?"

"Certainly, Diagon Alley, you'll find it through the back... on second thought, come with me and I'll show you, you might not be able to get in on your own yet."

They followed him out behind the inn, where there were a few trashcans and a bare brick wall. Tom pulled out his stick again. "Watch closely," he said, as he tapped a pattern on the bricks. The wall immediately began rearranging itself, forming an entrance to a street full of people and shops.

"Amazing," Ed breathed, "Like slow-motion large-scale particle..." he fumbled for the Xerxesian word.

"Transmutation?" Ling supplied.

"Yeah, that."

"Gesundheit," said Tom. "You'll find everything you need here, head to Gringotts Bank first; it's the tallest building, you can't miss it. I'll see you boys later."

They made their way down the street, Ling drawing more than a few (mostly female) stares. "First thing we buy is a new shirt for you," said Ed.

"What's wrong with this one?"

"It's open and you're showing the whole world your chest, that's what's wrong with it."

"Aww, but it's such a nice chest, don't you like it?"

"No, and you sound like Armstrong, it's freaky."

"Come on, Ed, you're being moody."

"Well, squinty-eyes, I can't imagine why I wouldn't be!"

Ling growled in exasperation. Grabbing Ed by the front of his shirt, he shoved him against a nearby wall, causing passerby to give them curious looks. "Look, Ed, we got a bad deal. Truth screwed us over, I know, but moping about it isn't going to solve anything!" He shook him. "Look at me, dammit! What is it you were always saying when you were trying to Al's body back, huh? Keep moving forward, find a way, that's what you always said. We'll find a way home, but that's not going to happen if you stand around brooding over your bad luck!"

Ed shoved Ling off of himself, and the two glared at each other for a few moments. Ed couldn't help it, he cracked a smile and chuckled. "Who are you and what have you done with Ling Yao?"

Ling pointed at the tallest building, which he assumed was the bank since it towered above everything else, "Look, shiny!" he said, and took off.

"What the- Hey, get your ass back here!"

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: _**_Yes, I admit it, I can't really angst very much without cracking a joke, especially when Ling's around. And no, I don't have any particular reason why Ed picked Israel, it was just the first country that popped into my head._

_Reviews pretty pretty please, I'm not afraid to beg!_


	3. Chapter 3

**_A/N: _**_So I move into my dorm room on the 21st. I'm trying desperately to churn out as many chapters as I can before that point, because once I head off to school, the updating rate is going to drop from 'every few days' to 'every few weeks,' and I know you guys are fans of swift updates. And gaah, as I'm writing this I'm being attacked by another plot-bunny. No, no no no, I'm not starting another story while I still have two in progress, **must resist the plot-bunnies!**_

_Also, since it might be little confusing, if Ed's speech includes the words 'the,' 'a,' or 'an,' (or if it's written in a different language) then he's speaking Amestrian. You'll notice that he leaves out definite and indefinite articles when he's speaking English. The language I chose for Amestrian only uses the definite article when being extremely formal, and doesn't use the indefinte article at all anymore. The verb 'to be' is also dropped a lot._

* * *

><p>Ed had chased Ling all the way down the long street before the idiot prince had stopped to let him catch up right in front of the bank. "Come on, Ed, keep up!" said Ling cheerily.<p>

"Bastard," said Ed, panting.

Ling was rather relieved to note that Ed had, for the moment at least, had forgotten their predicament in order to be pissed at him. "Now, now, is that any way to speak to an emperor?" he scolded.

They entered the double doors to a huge a chamber with long tables running the length of it. Ling wasn't sure what to make of the short-statured creatures working at these tables, and neither did, if the look on his face was anything to go by. They felt normal... ish. Their presences weren't _quite_ the same as a regular human's (chimeras maybe?), but they certainly didn't fhave the feeling of a crowd like the homunculi, nor did they feel sinister as the homunculi did. But now that he was actually paying attention to the flow of chi in his surroundings, he noticed what _did_ feel like a very small crowd... right next to him. '_How did I not notice before?'_ Ed's presence now felt like a much smaller scale version of Hohenheim's, which Ling now knew to be due to the philosopher's stone. '_Did Ed absorb what was left of Pride's stone by accident when he drained it? Is that why he still looks like a teenager?'_ He would ask about it later. For now, he was perfectly content to let Ed be the one to deal with the little chimera-people.

"Um," began Ed, tapping on the table to get one of the creatures' attention, "Hogwarts letter said to come here for money."

"Do you have an account here?" it (he, Ling supposed) asked, without looking up.

"No, it said something about..." Ed took another look at the letter, "financial aid.

" He handed over the piece of parchment.

"Your names?" the chimera asked.

"Edward Elric and Ling Yao."

"Griphook!" called the chimera. Another chimera of the same type appeared promptly. "Assign these two vault number six hundred and sixteen. Transfer one hundred and fifty galleons from the Hogwarts aid vault to their account, then withdraw thirty galleons from that and bring it up here."

Ling and Ed waited for a good half an hour before Griphook brought their gold, during which they had to sign multiple forms affirming their new ownership of 'vault number six hundred and sixteen.' Ed was on edge the whole time, Ling could tell that much. Likely he was racking his vast intelligence as to what exactly these bankers were. Personally, Ling didn't actually care all that much as to the answer. The bankers weren't trying to kill them, which enough for him at this point. He had learned long ago not to question favorable tides.

"Your gold, sirs," said Griphook, holding out a money bag to them.

"_Ru'hiibi munit lubii!_" said Ed, "Let's go, Ling, we got crap to buy."

"Would that crap happen to include food?"

"You just ate!"

"And?"

"Not a chance."

Ed read the supply list as they left the bank while Ling pouted. "The hell...?" There were wands on a school supply list? This place was insane! '_When I get my hands on Truth_...'

"Hey, Ed,"said Ling, "Think we should go here first?" He motioned to a shop beside them.

**Ollivander's: Makers of Fine Wands since 385 B.C**

"Good grief, we've stumbled into an extra special freak show, haven't we?" '_I really am turning in Hughes, here I am quoting him...'_

They went in anyway, and a wizened old man, presumably Ollivander, immediately hurried over from behind the numerous shelves of boxes. "Hello there! I don't recognize you two, are you Hogwarts students?"

"Sort of," said Ed, scratching the back of his head, "We just got letters today."

"So late! That would explain why I don't recognize either of you. I remember every wand I've ever sold, you see, and I remember everyone I've ever sold a wand to."

Something in the man's voice made Ed think he was telling the truth.

"I am Ollivander, and you two?

"Edward Elric," said Ed.

"Ling Yao."

"Excellent, excellent," said Ollivander. "Now, if you would just hold out your dominant arms..."

Ling held up his right arm, and a tape measure (wait, a floating tape measure?) started measuring him. Ed hesitated for a moment, which Ollivander noticed.

"Ambidextrous?"

"Well, I _was_ right-handed, but..."

"If you were born right-handed, then it's best the wand is wielded with your right hand," said Ollivander.

Ed hesitated for a moment more, then held out his, still gloved, right hand. Ollivander made to remove the glove, and Ed quickly closed his hand. "The glove's not coming off, old man."

"I'm afraid I must insist, the measurements will be off-"

"Then adjust the results," snarled Ed.

"Just take off the glove, Ed, I don't think he's gonna let us out until you do, and he doesn't seem the type to tell other people's secrets," said Ling, who was still being

measured by the evidently OCD tape measure.

Ed glared at Ling, but relented. Ollivander's eyebrows raised into his hairline. "Interesting, and it's all steel?"

"Technically a carbon-titanium mixture, but close enough. And works same as flesh arm."

"Then it shouldn't matter," Ollivander said firmly. He disappeared behind the shelves, but they could still hear his voice loud and clear. "You have a very interesting accent, Edward, where are you from, if that's not too intrusive?"

"Israel," he said, remembering the bogus story he made up for Tom the barman.

"We're both from Tel Aviv," piped up Ling, who gave Ed a conspiratorial wink. "My father worked for his father."

Ed suppressed a smirk at this. Well, Hohenheim was the fabled Western Sage after all, not to mention the Eastern Sage as well.

"Israel? You're very far from home then."

'_You don't know the half of it,_' thought Ed.

Ollivander came back out again carrying two armfuls of small boxes. He opened two of them. "Gorse and unicorn hair," which he handed to Ed, and, "Oak and dragon heartstring," which he handed to Ling. "Well, give it a wave!"

They did so. There was a familiar flash of blue sparks which Ed immediately recognized as an alchemic reaction. The wands themselves didn't fare so well, and had twisted and distorted themselves so that they no longer held any resemblence to wands.

"Curious, very curious," said Ollivander, who seemed very calm for a man who's merchandise had just been destroyed. "You're not from Israel, are you?"

Ed and Ling looked at each other guiltily. "No, sir."

"I haven't seen that kind of reaction to a wand since..." his eyes brightened, "Tell me, boys, does the name _Ori'haat_ mean anything to you?" He seemed to take their expressions as an affirmative. "Then you are both alchemists, yes?"

"He is, I'm not," said Ling.

"But you are still from across what is known as the Gate, if I am using the correct term."

"You know it?" said Ed, stunned, "How?"

"I don't actually," admitted Ollivander, "I don't even know what _Ori'haat_ means. Another wandmaker, named Gregorovitch, sold me those words, among other things, when he was planning his retirement. He didn't know what they meant either, but he said that a man with golden hair and golden eyes taught him a new wand design and instructed him to only sell it to those who would recognize the terms. And as both of you just have..." he went to the back of the store again and returned with two more boxes, this time round instead of rectangular. He opened them to reveal round wooden discs, the diameter roughly half that of Edward's palm, with a single gemstone embedded at the center of each. They were accompanied with leather bindings, likely to strap the disc to the hand. "Rowan, with a core of agate," said Ollivander, handing one of the discs to Ling. The other he handed to Ed, "Hazel and onyx."

Ed strapped the thing onto his right arm, noting with some measure of relief that the size and placement of the disc would make it difficult to accidentally crush if he were to, say, clench his fist. He noticed that the way the leather straps bound the round disc was reminiscent of a simple transmutation circle. The gemstone at the center began to glow brightly, and Ling's did the same.

Ollivander was beaming at the success. "Excellent, most excellent! Those will serve you well, no doubt about it!"

He had refused payment for the wands, claiming that they weren't truly his own work, and Ed and Ling left the shop to retrieve the rest of their supplies. True to Ed's word, the very next thing they bought, along with the uniforms, was a shirt for Ling. Or rather, they bought some yellow cloth and Ed transmuted it into a xingese style tunic. "It'll do," said Ling.

Ling had to physically drag Ed from the bookstore once they had the first three years worth of textbooks ("But, but, but, but, but..." complained Ed. "You're twenty-two, Ed, act like it please," groaned Ling), and Ed had to do the same to Ling when they were passing the ice cream shop ("So hungry..." groaned Ling. "Not a chance, squinty-eyes," said Ed). They now stood in front of Eyelop's Owl Emporium.

"Hey, Ed, can I have ten galleons?" Ling was looking down a less than savory-looking cross-street.

"What for?" Ed asked. He knew that Ling could more than take care of himself down a dark alley; he was more worried about him buying total junk.

"There's something I want to find. I'll meet you at the pub."

Ed sighed and handed over the gold. They had plenty of it, after all. "Just don't-" Ling took off in the middle of Ed's sentence, "-waste it." He sighed again and went into the shop. Cages and cages lined the walls and hung from the ceiling, all holding owls who were staring at him.

"How can I help you?" The shopkeeper bustled over to him. "Here for a new owl?"

"I guess."

"Well then, you've come to the right place! We have the best selection anywhere in Britain, ask anyone!"

As the lady went on about the store and owls in general, Ed's eye was drawn to a smaller cage. "What's the story on this one?" he asked. The occupant of the cage fixed him with a beady black eye and cawed at him.

"That thing? I can't imagine why you'd want him. Some idiot dropped him off at the store claiming he'd been trained as well as any owl. Who trains a crow to carry mail, honestly? They're bad luck, the lot of them."

Ed made his decision immediately. "I'll take him."

"Really? Well, no skin off my teeth if he pecks out your eyes. I can't say I'll be sorry to see him go. Ten sickles."

Ed paid the woman and went outside. He looked the crow squarely in the eye. "I bet you're smarter than all those owls put together. There's more to you than meets the eye, isn't there? I think I'll call you Miles."

'Miles' seemed content with his new name, cawing cheerfully.

Ed did indeed find Ling waiting for him in the Leaky Cauldron. Into his hand, Ling dropped nine galleons. That was when Ed noticed what he had bought: a dao sword, similar to the one he had carried in Amestris. "The shopkeeper couldn't wait to get rid of it, said it was 'a piece of muggle trash,' whatever a muggle is, because it didn't some kind of nasty curse on it," Ling explained.

"Looks like we both got cast-offs," said Ed, holding up Miles for Ling to see.

"Huh," said Ling, peering at the bird, "I've heard crows are clever enough to give humans a run for their money, but I guess these wizards are the superstitious types. One man's trash is another man's treasure, right?"

Ed tossed him a couple of galleons. "I'm going to bed, I've had enough of these 'wizards' for today." He went up to the room they had rented and sat on the bed. He pulled out the picture of his family and looked at it fondly. Winry was holding Trisha, and Maes was sitting on Ed's shoulders, playing with his ponytail. '_I promise, I'll find a way back. There's got to be a way._'

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: _**_About their wands: Rowan is said to be a very protective tree, and agate represents devotion, so that fits Ling. Onyx represents dermination, and I picked hazel because Ed has seen the truth. There's a legend that Fionn Mac Cumhail gained wisdom from the first three drops of a stew which was made from a salmon which had ingested hazel nuts._

_ru hiibi munit lubii!= Took long enough!_


	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N: _**_This will be the last chapter I can get written before I leave. On my profile I will post the dates of the closed weekends, which is when it should be safe to expect one or more new chapters, since I don't have a laptop to bring with me to college._

_Oh, I forgot to mention this after the previous chapter. It might have been obvious, but 'Ori'haat' is the word for 'Truth.' Technically it's just 'haat' but the 'ori' prefix is kinda like the '-kun' or '-san' suffixes in japanese, depending on context (I think, I don't know much about japanese, hence me using mando'a instead)._

_And just to clarify, Ed and Ling only knew Harry's name, not his face._

_Sora the Taske: Ah, thank you, I never actually caught that. I heard "golden hair and eyes" and thought Hohenheim, I forgot that Father looks just like him. As for how it could work out... heh, heh, heh *evil grin*_

* * *

><p>"If the train is supposed to add more compartments whenever needed," grumbled Ron, "Why are none of them empty?"<p>

"This one doesn't look to have too many people," said Hermione, opening a compartment door. A shabby-looking man was asleep in the corner, and two teenagers were sitting across from him. The Asian one was removing rust from a short, slightly curved sword, and occasionally peeking over the shoulder of the golden-haired boy next to him, who had his nose buried in a geography book. "Is it alright if we sit here?" she asked.

The Asian boy flashed her a grin. "Sure, there's plenty of room. Don't worry about waking him up," he motioned to the sleeping man, "Trust me, we've already tried."

The trio sat down and Ron looked quizzically at the blonde boy. "Er, why are you reading an atlas?"

"Not atlas, geography textbook," the boy replied, without looking up, "Our first time in England."

"You're leaving out words again," said the Asian patiently.

"Don't care," snapped the blonde.

Hermione suddenly looked very curious. "It's your first time in England? Where are you from? Are you some kind of exchange students?"

Harry felt a pang of sympathy for the strangers being subjected to a full force Hermione Interrogation.

'Asian,' as Harry had mentally dubbed him for lack of a name, chuckled at Blondie's pained expression. "We're from Israel," he said, "And we're not exchange students. More like late starters."

Hermione was about to let loose another barrage of questions, but cut herself off. "Hang on, we don't even know each other's names! I'm Hermione Granger, you?"

"I'm Ling Yao; the bookworm here is Edward Elric."

"Ron Weasley."

"Harry Potter." Harry braced himself for the usual reaction to hearing his name, hoping that maybe, just maybe, these foreigners hadn't heard of him, but he wasn't prepared for the reaction that actually happened.

Edward looked away, and Ling's previously cheerful demeanor turned steely as he fingered the hilt of his sword. Harry suddenly realized that the sword he had thought a decorative piece now looked _very very sharp_. Ed suddenly stood up, his book falling to the floor, forgotten. "Ling, _dayn, jii."_

Ling looked at Ed sharply. "_Tion?_"

"_Mhi ke'baslan!_"

The two left the compartment, though not before Ling shot Harry a glance which made him feel as if he were being analyzed.

"What the_ hell_ was that?" asked Ron incredulously.

"Something to do with me, it looks like," said Harry glumly, "They were alright until they heard my name."

Words from an argumant between the two foreigners were floating back to the compartmant. Harry assumed it was an argument, anyway, from their raised voices. He couldn't understand anything, but words that sounded like 'kee-ra-moo' and 'yaym' were repeated quite a bit.

"I mean, Hermione, you saw the look that Yao guy was giving him? Scary..."

Hermione, meanwhile, was fiddling with the straps on Crookshanks's basket.

Too late, Ron yelled, "Oy! Don't let that monster out!"

A previously unnoticed occupant took issue with the ensuing commotion, and the trio were all startled by an irritated cawing from the luggage rack.

"A crow?" said Hermione, bemused, while Crookshanks temporarily lost interest in trying to eat Scabbers.

The ginger cat leapt up onto the rack; There was something new and interesting and he had to investigate, evil-smelling not-rat be damned. He sniffed at the crow, who seemed just as inquisitive about him. He pawed at the crow's tail feathers and the crow tapped Crookshanks's head with his beak. Feeling satisfied, Crookshanks leapt back down to Hermione's lap. The crow was a crow, and no threat. His work here was done.

"Bloody cats..." said Ron, shaking his head.

Just then, the train rattled to a stop, and to make it worse, the lights died.

"Did we break down?" asked Hermione.

Ron was peering out the window. "Guys," he said, paling, "There's something moving out there..."

The compartment door opened, causing all three of them to jump, but it was just Ed. "Left my stuff," he muttered, avoiding looking at Harry. "Miles," he called, holding his right arm up to the luggage rack. The crow hopped onto his waiting wrist. Until, naturally, someone else tripped into the compartment and caused him to tumble to the floor. "_Shabla-"_

"Sorry," came Neville's voice from the floor.

Harry was feeling very cold, and he could see the window frosting over. Below him, he heard someone groan in pain, and he could just barely make out the shape of Ed trying to clutch his shoulder and knee at the same time.

Something large, black, and billowing had made it's way to their compartment, and Harry could hear a woman screaming. As the _thing_ came closer, the screaming became louder, and Ed's voice was mixed in.

"_Nayc, nayc, buir, ni ceta. Ni ceta, buir. Ni ceta!"_

Harry briefly saw a burst of silvery light, then it all went black.

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><p><em><strong>AN: **It's ten at night when I'm posting this, and tomorrow I leave to move into my dorm. Hopefully there'll be plenty of reviews when I check my e-mail before I leave (hint, hint, for all you late readers and those in different time zones. Now's your chance to review and send me off with warm fuzzy feelings)._

_I should probably do some translating, huh?  
>dayn, jii= out, now.<br>Tion?= doesn't really translate to an english word, essentially a verbal question mark.  
>Mhi ke'baslan!= Let's go! (commanding)<br>Shabla= *insert your favorite cuss word here*  
>nayc= no<br>buir= mother (technically parent, there's no gender distiction)  
>ni ceta= a groveling apology<em>


	5. Chapter 5

**_A/N: _**_Y__es, I know, it's been an incredibly long time since I've updated. The excuse being: school is a bitch. It's currently :30 in the evening right now, and I have a shitload of homework due tomorrow, so I'm probably going to pulling an all-nighter. I meant to have the Sorting in this chapter, but I figured it could wait until later. (Likely Christmas break, sorry.)_

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><p><em>A few minutes previously...<em>

When Ed had dragged him a reasonable distance away from the compartment, Ling spoke up. "I know what you're going to say-"

"Fuck Truth," Ed snarled.

"And how well has that worked out for you so far?" Ling asked.

"I'll find another way," said Ed stubbornly, "There's always another way. I got my brother back, didn't I?"

"Which worked spendidly, temporarily. And now we're stuck here, with one feasible way of getting home."

"Fuck that, he's just a kid! I won't just kill an innocent kid! I can't!" Ed's voice had risen and the pair were getting curious looks from other passengers, making Ling sincerely grateful that Ed had switched back to Amestrian.

"And what about your family? Your kids? What about my people? We have responsibilities that neither of us can ignore."

"I told you, I'll find another way! Could _you_ just murder a kid, a kid who's just a bit over half our age? A kid who has done nothing wrong except to survive? Huh?" The front of Ling's shirt was clenched in Ed's automail fist.

Ling hesitated, then looked away. Could he take a human being's life, just like that? "I don't know," he admitted.

They were interrupted by a red-haired boy who looked about seventeen. He had a silver badge on his robes and a puffed-up bearing to go with it. "Excuse me, but fighting is not allowed, so you two had best settle down. Also, we're getting close to Hogsmeade, so it would be a good idea to change."

Suddenly, the train shuddered to a stop, and the lights went out. Ed swore as he was nearly lost his balance.

"And watch your language!" snapped the red-head. "What house are you in?"

"House? Don't have house," muttered Ed, as he pushed past the boy. "I'll go get our robes," he said to Ling, leaving the red-head sputtering indignantly.

Ling was next to be confronted. "'Don't have a house,' what did he mean by that?"

Ling held up his hands in a nonconfrontational gesture. "We're new here. We're not from England, and the trip here didn't really agree with either of us. Excuse me," Ling disengaged himself in order to follow Ed at a distance. The train was getting colder, and he had a really bad feeling that something nasty might be coming aboard. His fears were confirmed when Ed went into the compartment, and he was granted an unobstructed view of a shrouded, floating, _thing_ gliding down the hall. He flattened himself aginst the wall in an attempt to avoid being noticed by it, but luckily the thing was more intent on opening a compartment door. '_Ed's compartment,' _he thought with horror, and he started sprinting down the hall. But he stopped when he realized that he was no longer on the train. He was at the entrance of the Amestrian Military HQ, on his knees, Fuu bleeding out in front of him, _why won't someone help him? _

Darkness overtook him...

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><p>... And he woke on the floor of another compartment with four boys and one girl staring at him. One of the boys had a pointed face and platinum blonde hair, another was darked skinned and bald. The other two boys were sitting on either side of the blonde and had the look of bodyguards, or maybe gorillas. The girl was thin and had black hair. All of them looked about the same age as Potter and Co. Ling attempted to sit up, but the sudden pounding in his head convinced him that would be a bad idea. He started to ask a question, realized by the confused looks that he was speaking Xingese, and repeated himself in Xerxesian, or 'English' as the locals called it. "What just happened? And what was that... that thing in the cloak?"<p>

The blonde spoke up first. "You passed out right outside out compartment. Blaise here dragged you in." The touch of a sneer in the boy's voice as he gestured to Blaise told Ling all he needed to know about him. Arrogance, of the type which was ingrained from an early age, and a disregard for those he considered beneath him; Ling had met hundreds like him. Somehow he doubted that this boy would have even opened the door for him had Blaise not been there.

"It was a dementor, wasn't it?" the girl asked, "that thing on the train, I mean."

"What's a dementor?" Ling asked. "I'm from Israel, I don't think we have them there," he said in response to the blonde's raised eyebrow.

Blaise shuddered, "You're lucky then. Horrid creatures, dementors. They suck out all your happiness and make you relive your worst memories."

"That would explain things." _Ed's seen much worse things than I have, is he alright?_

"What's your name, anyway?" asked the blonde.

"Ling Yao, your's?"

"I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

Ling didn't recognize the name, but he could tell that the kid expected him to, so he played along. "I believe my father knew a Malfoy. It's an honor to meet you."

Ego apparently sated, Malfoy continued. "That's Pansy," he said, gesturing to the girl, "This is Crabbe and Goyle," he motioned to to the Gorillas on either side of him, "And as you already know, that's Blaise."

"What are you doing with a muggle weapon, anyway?" asked Pansy.

_What the hell is a muggle? _"I'm not sure I know what you mean."

"She means your sword," said Malfoy, "Why do you have it? It's very primitive compared to a wand."

Ling shrugged. "Habit mostly. It's a bit of a family tradition. And it's good to have options in a fight. Your opponent might be prepared to block a spell, are they prepared to block steel?"

"That... actually makes sense," Blaise admitted. Malfoy scowled at him.

":Ling, where are you?:"

Ling heard Ed calling his name and scrambled up, just barely managing to keep himself from blacking out from the head rush. He stuck his head out of the compartment and saw Ed, holding a bundle of robes with his crow perched on his shoulder, along with the professor from the other compartment. "Ed, over here!"

Ed rushed over, causing Miles to lose his balance. The crow cawed indignantly and flapped away to find a perch on the steadier-moving professor.

"You alright?" Ed asked.

_Shouldn't I be asking him that question? _"I'll be fine. Did you pass out too?"

Ed nodded. He was looking very pale.

The professor handed Ling a piece of what looked and smelled like chocolate. "Eat that, you'll feel better. I need to go have a word with the conductor." As he left, Miles hopped onto Ed's head.

"I don't know if he's crazy or brilliant, but I like him," said Ed. "Seriously, you'll feel better, that chocolate's not poisoned."

Ling bit into it and instantly he felt as if he had just taken a warm bubble bath.

"So who are these guys?" asked Ed, gesturing to the five kids in the compartment.

Ling turned to the others. "This is Edward Elric, he's a friend of mine from Tel Aviv. Ed, this is Draco Malfoy, :arrogant, probably harmless, but has powerful family:, Crabbe and Goyle, :dumb muscle:, Pansy, :seems like a ditz, but could be faking:, and Blaise, :seems decent:."

Ed nodded to the group. "Good to meet you, but we ought to get going."

As they left, Ling asked Ed, ":So did anyone else pass out that you know of?:"

":Apparently Potter passed out, but I didn't see it.:" He shook his head, his face a study in long-repressed pain coming back suddenly fresh. ":I thought I was done with the nightmares.:"

":...I'm sorry.:"

":Don't be, it's not your fault.:" Ed drew himself up, and the pain on his face retreated behind that cheerful stoic mask that Ling had seen so many times. ":We're going to get home, I'll make sure of it.:" He held up the wand-disc strapped to his hand, ":Whatever power they have here, alchemy, magic, whatever, we're going to use it. _Nobody_ is going to die.:"

Ling wished that he could be so optimistic.

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><p><em><strong>AN: **I already know which house I'm going to put Ling in, but I'm a little unsure about Ed. Reviews pleeeeeeeeaaaase?_


	6. Chapter 6

**_A/N: _**_Technically, it's still winter break, at least for me, it may not be for some of you. I just got to spend most of Yule with my super-religious family, and my grandmother always wants me to come with her to midnight mass. Me, I prefer to avoid the bolts of heavenly lightning. It could have been worse, though, since luckily no one in my extended family would know what a Hammer of Thor pendant was if it danced naked through the house. Thank the gods for open-minded parents._

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><p>Ling managed to find a them both an empty compartment to change in. It wasn't empty to start with, strictly speaking, but the two occupants were willing to find another place to sit for a few sickles.<p>

"You think the animal sigils on most of these people's clothes have anything to do with the houses Carrot-top mentioned?" asked Ed.

"Most likely," said Ling. "They'll probably explain it when we get there. And in the most annoying manner possible, just for us."

Ed snorted as he slumped down into the seat. His face then grew serious, as if he'd suddenly remembered something. "Alright, answers time. We're both in our early twenties, but we still look like teenagers. In fact, we look just like we did on the Promised Day. What gives?"

"Maybe it has something to do with the homunculi or the Philosopher's stone. Some sort of side effect, or something?" _I'm not sure I like the implications of that train of thought, though..._

Ed was silent for a moment. "Have you been having any weird dreams since the Promised Day? Dreams where you're someone else?"

"Yeah, but I figured they were stress-related. I am running an empire after all." Ling wasn't quite sure where Ed was going with this.

This seemed to fit with whatever was going on Ed's head. He nodded to himself and sat back. "I'll have to do some more research on it, plus the research on how to get home. Hopefully this school we're headed to has a decent library."

"Wait a second, you're just leave me hanging with that?"

"Until I get some research done... yeah, pretty much."

"So cruel..."

* * *

><p>On their way to the carriages, the trio was suddenly waylaid by Professor McGonagall. "Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger, would you kindly come with me."<p>

"We're not in trouble, are we, Professor?" asked Hermione.

"Not at all, not at all, Ms. Granger, but I do need to see you in my office, and Madame Pompfrey needs to see to Potter."

"But I'm not sick!" Harry protested. Any other arguments, however, died in his throat from the withering look McGonagall gave him.

"That was not a request, Potter. Ah, Pomona, you found them, thank you. Would you take Potter and bring them all up to the Hospital Wing?"

Harry turned to see Professor Sprout leading two familiar faces, both wearing expressions of resignation: the Israelis, Edward and Ling.

"Of course, Minerva. Come along, dearies."

Following the Herbology Professor up the castle, a sudden thought struck Harry. "Professor, are we going to miss the Sorting?"

"Oh, you'll most likely miss the start of it. But don't worry," she said, gesturing to Edward and Ling, "these two here also need to be Sorted, so you won't miss all of it. Dumbledore's starting a little bit later, on account of the dementor incident on the train. What the Ministry is thinking, I don't know..."

"What year are you two going into, anyway?" asked Harry

"Third," said Edward.

"Third?" They certainly didn't look Harry's age. "How old are you?"

"Fifteen," said Ling, who still looked like he was analyzing a combat situation. "Apparently, they didn't want to put us all the way in fifth year, but thought we were too old for first year. So here we are, in the middle."

Edward snorted at that. "_Lek, jorcu ibac veman jorb_." Whatever he had said caused both the Israelis to scowl.

Awkward silence followed, interrupted by Madame Pompfrey hurrying over to the group, with what looked like a large bar of chocolate in her hand. "The stupidity of the Ministry never ceases to amaze me. What are they thinking, let dementors loose all over the country to do as they please. Look at you three, you're pale as ghosts!" She broke the bar into thirds and handed them all a piece.

"You'll be in good hands," Sprout said to Edward and Ling (Edward simply rolled his eyes while he ate his chocolate). "Well, I must be off, Poppy, the Sorting will be starting soon." She bustled away in the direction of the Great Hall.

"Professor Lupin already gave us chocolate," said Harry, "He's the one who got rid of the dementor."

"Did he now? I'm impressed. Hopefully this one sticks around, it's high time we had a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor who knows what they're doing. But it won't hurt to have a second dose, just to be safe."

"Don't question free chocolate," advised Ling, who was licking his fingers.

"Speaking of food," said Edward, "Where's this feast we've heard about?" The question was followed by the loud rumbling of all three stomachs.

"Oh, all right, I suppose you can go," said Pompfrey, "There's only so much I can do for dementor exposure anyway." As the three hurried away, she called after them, "But make sure you get plenty of rest tonight!"

When they reached the Great Hall, the lasted first year had just been sorted and was walking to the Hufflepuff table. "Ah, just in time," said Dumbledore. "Here are our two new students. Joining us from Israel: Edward Elric and Ling Yao. They will starting in the third year."

Harry slipped away from the pair just as Dumbledore announced them and hurried to his seat beside Ron. Hermione was already there, having somehow gotten away quicker.

"So those are the nutters we met on the train, huh?" said Ron quietly, as McGonagall called Edward's name to be sorted. "Wonder what house they'll end up in."

The Sorting Hat was taking an awfully long time with Edward, Harry noted. Even longer than it had taken when he himself was being sorted, the year before last. Edward's face had grown ever more stonier, when the Hat finally called out, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Their table burst into applause, and Ron groaned, as Edward made his way over. He sat next to Neville, shaking his hand as he did.

"Yao, Ling!" called McGonagall.

Ling took a deep breath and walked to the stool to have the ratty hat placed on his head.

"_Well, well, you're like your friend over there. Horrific experiences, and you're several years older than anyone here suspects."_

He felt his heart skip a beat. If this thing could see into his head...

"_Don't worry. Like I told your friend, I don't have free will. Yes, I know about your little encounter with Truth, and the conditions he set. But I'm not allowed to tell anyone what I find in someone else's head. And I'm bound to Sort everyone who is admitted to the school, even if I don't want to._

Ling swallowed. "_ So, are you just going to put me Gryffindor with Ed and Potter, or..."_

"_Nonsense. You're not really a Gryffindor, and besides, my duty is also to protect the school. I may have to Sort you, but do you think I'm likely to put you in the same house as someone you're contemplating the murder of? No, no, no, that won't do at all. And with your eye for success, there's a house which suits you better."_ "SLYTHERIN!"

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><p><strong><em>AN: _**_I know, still short. But I hit another writing block and have to figure out how I'm going to do the rest of the night. Also, I didn't put in Ed's sorting because, come on, we've all seen it a hundred times._

_Someone asked why Ling and Edward are in third year. I think I had Ling explain it just now, but I'll repeat it. Since the school officials think Ed and Ling are fifteen, they're not going to put them in classes with first-years. But I also think it's rather illogical to put brand new students in the year group that's about to take life-changing exams. And of course, because Truth fixed it so they would be in the same year as their target._

_Also, just 'cause I'm curious (and for review fuel), what are all of y'all's predictions for how the story will turn out? This isn't a vote, I already know what happens, I just want to know what you think. Oh, and just for fun, what's Ling's patronus?_

_"_Lek, jorcu ibac veman jorb_.": "Yeah, sure, that's why," *sarcasm mode*_


End file.
